Headley wanted Nishan-e-Haider for 26/11 attackers, says Nikam

Mumbai : Special Public Prosecutor in the Mumbai terror attacks case, Ujjwal Nikam, on Friday said that David Coleman Headley was of the opinion that the attackers of 26/11 should have been awarded the highest military award Nishan-e-Haider by the Pakistan Government.

“The facts that he has disclosed that Headley was of the opinion that the attackers of 26/11 should have been awarded the highest military award that is Hyder-e Pakistan , Nishan-e-Haider by the Government of Pakistan and that is what he told to Dr. Rana,” Nikam told the media here.

Nikam said that Headley categorically denied that the name of Ishrat Jahan was not introduced by him at the instance of the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

“First fact David Headley has said that the name of Ishrat Jahan was revealed by him when the National Investigating Agency of India interrogated Headley about encounter in Gujarat. He also made it very clear that in the trail against Dr. Rana in USA, he did not disclose his facts because he was not categorically asked by the American prosecuting agency in that respect,” he added.

The Special Public Prosecutor also said that the Headley’s father was not aware of his involvement with the LeT.

“His father was serving as the director of Pakistan Radio in Pakistan and after his death the then Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani visited his house for condolence and wasn’t aware of Headley’s involvement with LeT,” he added.

In an explosive revelation during his cross examination earlier today in a Mumbai sessions court, Headley expressed his vehement hatred for India, saying that ever since Indian planes bombed his school and people working there died during the India Pakistan war in 1971, he was looking for revenge which led to him joining the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Headley also said that then Pakistan prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani had visited his house after the terror strikes.

Headley revealed that Geelani had come to his house following the death of his father on December 25, 2008, who was a retired Director General of Radio Pakistan. (ANI)